Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Haven´t written in so long! Which is mostly due to the fact that about two weeks ago my computer started getting really slow and now barely works. I started deleting a lot of documents and I´m going to try running the virus scanner again but I´m afraid I´m going to have to send it back with my parents to the States because the closest Apple store we could find is an hour away. SO for now I´m stuck in the library. But here are some recent updates!
A couple weekends ago I went to London!!! It was really fun but it is SO expensive there and very rainy which is the complete opposite of Madrid. It can be expensive here if you make it, but in London it was just crazy...which had a lot to do with the pound. Regardless, we were as touristy as could be and got to see all of the major sites (Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, London bridge, Buckingham Palace, went in the London eye..) and other little sections of the city with help from The Big Bus Tour. Really can´t get much more touristy than that. All I could think about was how many times my Aunt Cindy dragged my sister and I on those dreaded duck tours (which we did see driving around) and yet here I was willing and wanting to take one myself. Well, not so much the duck tour, but a bus nonetheless. Funny note about the London bridge: literally the ugliest, smallest, most unimpressive bridge of all the bridges in London. You wouldn´t even notice it except that it has written LONDON BRIDGE in big letters on the side. We made the mistake of thinking a different one was the right London bridge and took lots of pictures near it only to find out we were wrong...typical. Also, the first night we wanted fish and chips just to complete the cliche experience, but all the restaurants we stumbled upon looked like we might get food poisining. So we opted for Garfunkles: a mix between panera, friendlys, and TGIF. How could I forget..we also stumbled upon Borough Market which is one of the best places I´ve ever been. So much bread, cakes, cheese, meat, just all of my favorite foods wrapped up in a farmer´s market. It was great. I bought a big piece of carrot cake which I never wanted to finish, it was amazing. Then Sunday was the St. Patty´s day parade. We got all dressed up in green and went to the parade. By this time we were almost completely broke, so lunch was McDonalds. My second trip to a fast food place all semester. We felt so rich there buying food from the pound menu. Needless to say I went home with no more money but a camera full of pictures and lots of funny memories. AND in two days we are off to Paris for spring break which I am almost too excited for.

View of the Westminster Abbey from the London Eye

Fish and Chips!!!

Bread stand at the amazing Borough Market

Signs to help you from killing yourself crossing the street...much needed in my case because I can barely cross at home anyway

Friday, March 9, 2012

Missed home a lot this week but not as much as I had been like a month ago. I think that's because I know my parents are coming in a little less than four weeks. Also we are a little over half way done with the semester...I already made my schedule for the fall wait, what? I've never been home (slash now cuse) sick like this before. Skype just isn't enough sometimes, but Shelby said she sent the abroad packages and that means they should be here in about two weeks!!! It's gonna be great to taste a little piece of home, literally because Dibs baked us cookies. Can't wait to dip everything in peanut butter and gain 5 pounds. It's gonna be delish.
Enough about home, I'm in MADRID for crying out loud!! Today it is absolutely 100% gorgeous outside. No jacket weather except everyone else here didn't get the memo and continue to wear winter coats. Not kidding it's 70 degrees out and I saw a guy wearing earmuffs. Something there is wrong. So we took advantage of the day and went to the zoo! It was great. I love zoos and aquariums and all of those kinds of things. Also Alyssa literallly knows all the animals so she was my little personal tour guide. What's new hahaha pretty sure I wouldn't be able to survive without her here. OH I FORGOT also I saw my first real live prostitute. But it was not at night like you might think and also it was not on the corner or near Sol where all the bars are. Nope. It was at 1 pm outside the zoo...we knew cause of the shorts with no tights under and sandal heels. Dead give away. Anyways we got back to moncloa, which is near the apartment, and walked around for an ice cream shop and brought our cones to parque oeste. Per usual. Oeste is our shit. After a long day it feels sooo good to kick back and watch some teen mom 2 reunion. So that's what I'm gonna do. Iytanna is coming over again tonight and so is Beatriz, her mom, so I think it's gonna make dinner amazing (plus we saw in the fridge that Carm made lentils..yeee!!).

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Tis the season for parents! Last weekend our friend's mom was here, this weekend Alyssa's parents are here, and next week Jenna's are coming. Two days ago was my dad's birthday so hearing about everyone else's has made me miss them even more. At least I can use Alyssa's as my pseudo parents for the weekend.
For instance, the four of us went to Toledo yesterday. It was kind of a drab day weather wise and started raining at one point, but it was all good. We went to an army museum trying to get into the castle, which didn't work but it was interesting and then we went to the El Greco art museum which was small but good because by that time we were all getting hungry. Luckily, lunch was awesome. We went to this restaurant which had a deal where you get two courses plus bread, water and dessert all for 8.50 euro. So I got jamon y queso, tortilla espanola and chocolate mousse. Mmmmm and Alyssa and I shared my tortilla espanola and her fried squid. Nom. After lunch we went to the cathedral but of course we had some issues figuring out how you get tickets so we just walked around it and hung out for an hour then took the train home. Overall good day!